Comeback Kids – Kai, Victor & Branch

Coming back from any serious injury is a difficult to ask for an athlete. Times that by 10 when you’re a bodybuilder. Although you may not be able to train that one body part (or even at all) for a length of time, you still have to remain active in some capacity because you cannot lose what you already have. Couple that with having to consume massive amounts of calories to sustain the mass necessary for competition and you can figure the rest out if that person sits around and waits while he or she mends.

On Saturday at the 2009 Arnold Classic, the top three in the men’s bodybuilding all have had to sit on the sideline for various reasons. The eventual winner, Kai Greene, had a groin injury. His runner-up, Victor Martinez, suffered a leg injury and Branch Warren – who took home the Most Muscular trophy – had to wait while his triceps healed.

All three showed what they are really made of by not only coming back in such excellent condition, but to leave the rest of the pack in the dust. 10 points separated the top three and Toney Freeman, who finished in fourth place, was 31 points behind Warren.

This was a three-horse race and the predictions proved to be accurate that in fact Greene, Martinez and Warren would battle it out amongst one another while the rest of the field of 13 worried about finishing in the top six or ten.

All three of these men had to miss the 2008 Mr. Olympia but are all expected to be in Las Vegas this September in search for the Sandow.